Automatic-playing piano.



'11. WUEST, JR. AUTOMATIC PLAYING PIANO. APPLICATION FILED APB. 20, 190B.

` Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

#fran/mrs.

2o normal y-oloeed by a cover.`

45 tresdles moving outward wit ,.Ft). l

PHILII WUEST, JR., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVNIA, ASSIGNOR TO OSCAR BLASIUS, OF

' 13HILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIS-PLAYING PIANO.

no. soest-e.

d Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed April 20, 1908. Serial No. @7,964.

Patented Deals; 190e.

i "n To all whomv it may oef/teem:

ne a known that I, Pme weisse, n., a Icitizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automaticl)layin Pianos, of which the following is a full, c ear,

and exact description, reference .being had to `theaccoznpanying drawings, which form a 10 part of this specication.

,l `1.5*` ce'aled and out of action, and when desired 1 x for use, maybe automatically moved into operative position. f Y kIn carrying-out my invention, I form a reA ceased ortion inthe trent .frame which is The treadles are hinged so as to be movable into and out of the recessed lportion. When in the recessed ortion the treadlesareloeked but are under tl e action of' aspring tending to throw them outward, which, when the lock is released, throws them outward on their hinge.

. l. y The cover, likewise, is hinged and, when its a closed position, is locked and actedupon by .a

i "l `sgr ne; tending to force it out, so that when v lock is released vit is forced outward. The means for releasing the treadles and cover locks are connected together so that thelocks may be simultaneously released.

Further, the spring on the cover 1s not strong lj', 35 enough'to cause the cover, when the lock is released, lto movev outward the full extent. The part towhich .this spring is connected,

however, is movable and in line of movement of the treadles in swinging outward, so that n Ltothe treadles in swinging outward lthrow this spring; again into action, moving the :cover to its -full open position. This arrangement l prevents the cover from moving outward with too much force and also revente the li) -too much force, as this cover springfin being),` thrown again into action by the treadles, acts as a buffer to'restrain the too rapid kmovement of the treadles. I' VI connect the mechanism by which the locks are released to` thevslidable shelf which 'carries the ex ression 'levers for the antomatic piano-1p a er. By this arrangement, thek piano may e turned from an ordinary p' beingslack, the weight of the rod o will playing piano into a condition for actingas 'a self-playing piano automatically and by merelypulling out the slidable shelf. The arrangement is such that neither the cover northe treadles can moye `out too rapidly.l

The ,treadles are used to operate the bellows mechanism for the pneumatic portion of the instrument. which this result is produced and which details also form part of my invention, will'be more clearly seen by reference tothe embodiment of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings. This embodiment I will now describe.l i

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front view of izny improved piano with treadles in operative position. Fig. 2 is a cross section with treadles in is a cross section sition.

c is the piano. bis a recess or opening in the .case normally closed by the cover c. In this recess the treadles d for operating lthe piano autoowing parte in closed p0- matically normally rest. These treadles are hinged to links e which are pivotally connected to treadle connector within the recess. 'The treadles .are also connected to the rod f. The rodf .at each end has a head y and raped h. Ateaoh endof rod f is an arm y pivoted to abraoket i connected tothe piano frame.

y' is a vertical rod connected at its lower `end to a lever k/the other end l.of the lever having a projection l which normally rests in a vsocket fm on the interior of the cover c.

4The upper end of the rod has an .overhanging portion n'resting on a orizontal arm s of a rod o, which rod ois connected at its up er end to a cord p, extending to the slida le frame g, carr ing the ex ression levers for automatic p aying.` W en the 'slidable frame is moved, outward, through :the medium of the cord p, the rod ois lifted. When the slidable frame is moved inward, the cord cause it to move downward.

r are leaf springs. Normally, the arms y rest against the .springs r. and are held lealtad thereby the rod f, being held b the rml8- The lcover c is also closed .and lle d Closed "by the projection treating inthe socket m.

t are spings, one end connected to Vthe cover c, te other end pivoted to levers e.

operative position. Fig. 3` s.

The detailed mechanism by The strength of these springs t is not suiiicient, when lock l and m are released, to throw the cover completely o en. In operation, when the she f or frame g is pulled out, the rod 0 and rod are elevated, releasing the treadles and the cover; The springs 1' force the treadles outwardly. The, springs t force the cover c outwardly and upwardly, but are not suflicient in strength to move the cover to full open position. In the outward movement of the treadles the arms y strike the levers e, throwing the springst again into tension and, with the further outward movement of the treadles, the cover opens to full open position. By this arrangement, the cover is prevented from moving too ra idly andsprings t act as buffers to prevent t e too sudden movement of the treadles. The inward movement vof the treadles restores the parts to the closed position, and the cover locked against and compressing the leaf springs. The cover can then be released from the catch w, which retains it in its outward position, and closed, and locked in its closed position. I-Iaving now fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. .In a self-playing piano, in combination, a recessed frame, a hinged cover, treadles pivotally mounted, independentof the cover, to swing within and without said recess, a locking mechanism within the recess for holding the treadles within the recess,l a spring active in the closed position of said treadles and acting on said treadles to force them outward, and means to release the locking mechanism.

2. In a self-playing piano, in combination, a recessed frame,.a hinged cover, a treadle pivotally mounted, independent of the cover, .'to swing within and without said recess, a spring against which said treadle rests in its inner position, a lock to hold said treadle in ilts 1inner position, and means to release said 3. Ina self-playing piano, in combination, a recessed frame,'a cover, a treadle pivotally. mounted, independent of the cover, to swing within Aand without said recess, a spring against which said treadle rests in its mner osition, a lock to hold said treadle in its inner position, a slidable shelf and connection between said lock and said shelf.

4. In a self-playing piano, in combination, a recessed frame, a hinged cover, a treadle pivotally mounted, independent of the cover, to-swing within and without said recess, a spring against' `whichsaid treadle rests in its inner position, a movable arm adapted, in one position, to hold said treadle in its y inner position and means to move said arm out of locking engagement.

l5. In selflaymgpiano, in combination, #a recessed frame, a cover, a treadle pivotally mounted, independent of the cover, to swing within and without said recess, a spring against which said treadlerests in its inner position, a'movable arm adapted, in one position, to hold said treadle in its inner osition, a slidable shelf and connection Between said arm and said shelf.'

6. In a self-playing piano, in combination,

a recessed frame, a hinged cover, a treadle pivotally mounted, independent of the cover, toswingwithin andwithout said recess, a spring against which said treadle rests in its inner position, a rod connected to said treadle, a lock coacting with said rod in the inner position of the treadle and-means to release said lOck.

7. In a self-'playing piano, in combination, a recessed frame, a cover, a treadle pivotally mounted, independent of the cover, to

swing .within and without said recess, a spring against whichsaid treadle rests in its inner position, a rod connected to said treadle, a lock coacting with said rod in the inncr'position of the treadle, a slidableshelf and connection between said arm and said shelf.

8. In a self-playing iano, in combination, a recessed portion a apted to receive the treadle, al hinged cover for said; recess, a spring acting on said cover to move it outward, a hinged treadle movable on'its hinge into and out of said recess, a s ring actin to force said treadle outward, a ook for said cover when closed, a lock for said treadle when in the recessed portion, and means to simultaneously release said locks.

9. In a self-playing iano, in combination, a recessed portion a apted to receive the treadle, a hinged cover for said recess, a spring acting on said cover to move it outward, a ltreadle'movable into and out of said recess, a spring acting to force said treadle outward,a movable part to which said cover spring is connected, and means adapted to operate said movable ypart in the outward movement of the treadle. f 410. In a self-playing piano, in combination, a treadle, a recessed portion of the piano adapted to receive the treadle, a hinged -cover for said recess, a spring acting on said cover to move it outward, a spring acting Ato force said treadle outward, said cover spring not being of strength suiiicient to` move the cover fully outward, a movable part to which said cover spring is connected, and meansadapted to move said movable part, in the outward movement of the treadle whereby said cover spring is again rendered active to move the cover and also acts as a buffer to the movement. of the treadle.

1 1. In a self-playing. piano, in combination, a treadle, a recessed portion of the piano adapted to receive the treadle, a hinged cover for said recess, a spring acting on said cover to move it outward, a hinged treadle movahleon its hinge into" and ont of said 1 `for said cover when closed, va -lock for said recess," a spring' acting to force said treadle treadle when in therecessed portion a rod outward, a lock for saidcover when closed, controlling the ycover-lock, arod controllin a lock for said treadle 'when in the recessed theltread e-lock, said rods belngconnecte t 5 portion, a rod controllin the cover-lock, a vto move in unison to release said locks, a 2O rod controlling the trea l'e-lock, said rods slidable shelf and connection betweensaid vbeing connected to move in unison to rerods and said slidable shelf.

fleasesaid locks. .'r 1 f f l Intestimony-of which invention, Ihave -r 12. :In a self-playing piano, in 'ombinahereunto set my hand, at Philadelphia,. on

' lo "tronz a treadle, areces'sed portion ada ted to this 17th day of April, `1908.

recelve the treadle, a hinged coveror said recess. a sprlng acting on said cover to move PHILIP .H DEST( JR' it outward', a hinged -treadle movable on' v Witnesses: its hinge into and out of said recess, a spring A.'M. URIAN,

15 acting toforce said treadleoutward, a lock M.. M. HAMILTON. 

